


Nostalgia

by fraises



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, But Replace Sweet With Sad, Father-Son Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, One Shot, Other, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Short & Sweet, Short One Shot, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, ouch my heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-13
Updated: 2018-10-13
Packaged: 2019-08-01 08:17:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16280921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fraises/pseuds/fraises
Summary: As much as Peter wants to deny it, Tony's getting old. He watches him, Tony in his high-end suit and ridiculous sunglasses and a grin so wide his eyes turn to creases.Peter's heart hurts.





	Nostalgia

**Author's Note:**

> hey everyone! yEs i know there are run on sentences and what not but it's all part of the theme :') please enjoy!

Nearby, the sound of the waves crashing against the cliffs seems overwhelmingly powerful. A smoky scent of barbecue and charcoal wafts through the air, unburdened by the innocuously powerful breeze. Other tourists mill about— one plays a guitar somewhat sadly, strumming a soft tune. Peter’s heart aches. 

 

He glances at Tony, who’s dressed impeccably fine, and feels his lips turn up at the corners. Tony had brought him here, all the way to the sunny cliffside of Malibu, California. He’d needed a vacation, he’d said, and who other than his favorite kid to accompany him? 

 

Peter feels nostalgic. Gazing across the cliffside into the ocean’s horizon, he tilts his head to feel the warmth of the sun seep into his neck.

 

He remembers when he journeyed across Queens in a Spiderman suit, adrenalin hot in his blood and cold wind snapping at his limbs.

 

He remembers his summer breaks, playing video games with Ned and sleeping far too late in the night.

 

He remembers reading novels one after another, delving helplessly into the wildly fantastic stories he’d found.

 

He remembers after-school hangouts with MJ and Ned, studying and training and laughing together.

 

He remembers Tony Stark, in his prime and constantly working to build bigger and better.

 

Tony, who’d amongst all other tasks in his life, had made a spot just for him.

 

Who’d created an AI for him to be sure he was safe.

 

Who’d invited him for nights of video-games (just you an’ me kid, just you an’ me.) and ordered the best cherry pie in New York (that’s your favorite food, innit?) because Karen had told Tony he’d seemed a little down lately. 

 

Who’d taken him skiing even though he must’ve had more important things to do because Peter had offhandedly mentioned how he’d have loved to have gone skiing with Uncle Ben as a kid. 

 

Who’d tried his best to make Peter feel like family, cushioning his hurt (how’re you doing today, kid?) and filling all the holes in his heart with love (wanna come to the museum with me? my treat.) through the small and simple gestures that mattered most.

 

Peter has grown now, tall and proud and confident. 

 

Tony, with his continuously greying hair and wrinkled skin, is getting old. He has trouble with his back sometimes, and he can't stay up quite as late as he used to. He can't lift the heavier models of Mark anymore, can't pilot the suit as fluidly as he could before. 

 

Peter doesn’t want Tony to ever grow older. To be very honest, he misses the late nights fighting crime and helping Iron Man with his enemies and creating new things with Tony in the lab. He wishes time could turn back.

 

He wishes it could turn back, so he could live it again. Say all the things he wanted to say, do all the things he’d wanted to try. He misses it. In front of him, Tony leans over the cliffside and watches the waves collide with the rock, ocean spray exploding high in the air. He turns around, smiles at Peter. The wind steals the words from Tony’s mouth, and all Peter can notice is the wrinkle age put in his skin as Tony grins at him.  

 

Home, his heart cries. This is home.

 

In time, Tony will be gone from the world and Peter will be left empty. He wishes he could save Tony from time. From age.

 

Tony seems to notice he can’t hear him and walks closer. A seagull caws above them, a sorrowful wail echoing out to the ocean like a plea for everyone and no one to hear.

 

“How’re you liking it, kid? Isn’t it great? We should come here more often.” Tony’s brown eyes gleam a warm, honey gold in the sun. Peter smiles, cheeks dimpling and eyes creasing.  

 

“Yeah, Mr. Stark, we should.” Tony turns back to watch the waves, and Peter leans companionably against him. Tony deserves the world. 

 

“I love you, Mr. Stark.” Peter murmurs softly, his heart achingly sore. Beside him, Tony shifts and stills.

 

“I love you too, kid,” he whispers back, breathing in the ocean spray and feeling the grass fronds brush against his pant legs. This time, the wind doesn’t mute the words. Peter’s heart thumps hard, crying and wailing yet caged within his chest. Peter quiets it, pushes the distress down.

 

Overhead, the suns shines its merciful warmth on them both. Seawater attacks the cliffs with a vengeance, roaring its rage for the whole world to hear. Gulls caw in the sky, grass rustles with the wind, and the other tourist’s chatter fades to a quiet murmur.

 

Peter wishes time could turn back, bring them both back to when things felt alive. When he was Spiderman, and when Tony Stark wasn’t too old to be Iron Man. But he can’t do that, can’t stop the unstoppable progression of time, can’t turn things to what they used to be. Instead, he leans further into Mr. Stark’s side. Together, they watch the waves and feel the sun and the sky encompass them on a warm afternoon in Malibu, California.

 

Silently, for everyone and no one to hear, seagulls cry out forlornly and Peter’s heart wails over the future that has not yet come.

**Author's Note:**

> ouch my heart ,, i love a good tony and peter father-son dynamic !! if you enjoyed the fic and/or was otherwise went uwu at this story pleaSe leave a review and,, a kudos? it'd be appreciated! 
> 
> much love to everyone who reads this, remember that you're important and have a nice day! xoxo


End file.
